SALE number eight Sebastien Chabal has been banned for five weeks for stamping on former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio.

SALE number eight Sebastien Chabal has been banned for five weeks for stamping on former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio.

Chabal was cited after being sent off in Saleés Guinness Premiership loss to Wasps on Sunday and was punished following a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing in Brighouse tonight.

Chabal - who courted further controversy by appearing to spit at Fraser Waters as he left the field - will not be free to play again until April 4, meaning he will miss the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz on April 2.

The 28-year-oldés ban is also a serious blow for the Sharks, who still hold a four-point lead at the top of the Premiership despite the defeat at Wasps.

Chabal was found guilty after a three-man panel backed up the decision of referee Roy Maybank to dismiss the player.

Maybank considered the offence of a serious nature and Sharks coach Philippe Saint-Andre must plan without him.

The panel of chairman John Spencer, Antony Davies and Dr Barry OéDriscoll imposed a two-week penalty for the stamping offence and three weeks for spitting.